Discover the Historical Events and Famous People Born on May 16

Event, History

May 16 is a special day in history. Many important events happened on this day. Some famous people were also born on May 16. Let’s learn about them!

You can open Table of Contents show

Historical Events on May 16

Republican Convention: 1860

In 1860, the United States was getting ready to pick a new president. The Republican party had a big meeting in Chicago on May 16. They chose Abraham Lincoln to be their candidate. This was a very important decision. It led to Lincoln becoming president. He later helped end slavery in America.

Joan of Arc Canonized: 1920

Joan of Arc was a brave French girl who lived a long time ago. She led an army to fight for France when she was just 17 years old. In 1920, the Catholic Church made her a saint. This means they believed she was a very holy person. People still remember her today as a hero.

1st Academy Awards: 1929

The first Academy Awards happened on May 16, 1929. This is when movies get prizes for being really good. The Best Picture award went to a movie called “Wings”. Emil Jannings won Best Actor and Janet Gaynor won Best Actress. The Academy Awards still happen every year.

Sports History: 1948

In 1948, there was an important chess tournament. It was the first world championship since World War II. A Russian player named Mikhail Botvinnik won. This started a time when Russians were the best chess players for 20 years.

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: 2002

On May 16, 2002, a new Star Wars movie came out. It was called “Attack of the Clones”. It was the second movie in the prequel trilogy. That means it told a story that happened before the first Star Wars movies. The movie starred Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, and Natalie Portman.

Film & TV History: 2019

The last episode of a TV show called “The Big Bang Theory” aired on May 16, 2019. The show was about a group of smart friends who loved science. It was very popular. It ran for 12 seasons. The last episode was watched by millions of people.

Famous Birthdays on May 16

William H. Seward (1801-1872)

Birthday: May 16, 1801

Birthplace: Florida, New York

Known for:

American politician
Secretary of State (1861-1869)
Governor of New York (1839-1842)

William H. Seward was an important American politician. He was born on May 16, 1801 in Florida, New York. Seward worked as a lawyer before going into politics. He became the Governor of New York in 1839. Later, he was chosen to be the Secretary of State under Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. As Secretary of State, Seward helped the United States buy Alaska from Russia. This was known as “Seward’s Folly” because people thought it was a silly idea, but it turned out to be a smart decision. Seward was badly hurt when someone tried to kill him on the same night Lincoln was killed, but he survived. He continued to serve as Secretary of State until 1869. Seward died in 1872. He is remembered as an important leader who helped America grow.

David Edward Hughes (1831-1900)

Birthday: May 16, 1831

Birthplace: London, England

Known for:

British-American inventor
Invented the microphone and teleprinter

David Edward Hughes was born on May 16, 1831, in London, England. He was a music professor who liked science. Hughes moved to America and became an inventor. He made the first microphone. A microphone changes sound into electric signals. He also invented the teleprinter. This let people send printed messages over telegraph wires. Hughes helped make new communication tools that we still use today in phones and computers.

Pierce Brosnan (1953-)

Birthday: May 16, 1953

Birthplace: Drogheda, Ireland

Known for:

Irish actor
Played James Bond in movies from 1995-2004

Pierce Brosnan is a famous Irish actor. He was born on May 16, 1953, in Drogheda, Ireland. Brosnan started acting as a teenager. He moved to London and acted on stage. Then he got a role on a TV show called “Remington Steele”. This made him famous in America. Brosnan played James Bond in four movies from 1995 to 2002. These were “GoldenEye”, “Tomorrow Never Dies”, “The World Is Not Enough”, and “Die Another Day”. Many people think he was one of the best actors to play James Bond. Brosnan has been in many other movies and TV shows. He is still acting today.

Janet Jackson (1966-)

Birthday: May 16, 1966

Birthplace: Gary, Indiana

Known for:

American pop singer
Successful albums like “Control” and “Rhythm Nation 1814”
Younger sister of Michael Jackson

Janet Jackson is a famous American singer. She was born on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana. Janet is the youngest child in the Jackson family. Her brother Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. Janet started performing as a child on TV shows. She became a big pop star in the 1980s. Her album “Control” had hit songs like “Nasty” and “What Have You Done for Me Lately”. Her next album “Rhythm Nation 1814” was also very popular. Janet has sold over 100 million records in her career. She is known for her dancing and stage shows. She has won many awards. Janet is one of the most successful artists in pop music history.

Megan Fox (1986-)

Birthday: May 16, 1986

Birthplace: Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Known for:

American actress and model
Starred in the “Transformers” movies

Megan Fox is an American actress and model. She was born on May 16, 1986, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Fox started acting and modeling as a teenager. Her big break came when she was cast in the 2007 movie “Transformers”. She played Mikaela Banes, the love interest of the main character. The movie was a huge hit. Fox also starred in the sequel, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” in 2009. She has been in other movies like “Jennifer’s Body”, “Jonah Hex”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Fox is known for her beauty and acting talent.

Takeaways

May 16 is an important date in history. We learned about some major events that happened on this day. The Republican party chose Abraham Lincoln as their presidential candidate in 1860. Joan of Arc was made a saint in 1920. The first Academy Awards were held in 1929. A Russian chess player started a 20-year winning streak in 1948. The movie “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” came out in 2002. The TV show “The Big Bang Theory” ended in 2019.

We also learned about some famous people born on May 16. William H. Seward was a politician who helped America buy Alaska. David Edward Hughes invented the microphone and teleprinter. Pierce Brosnan played James Bond in movies. Janet Jackson is a successful pop singer. Megan Fox is an actress known for “Transformers”.

These people all made important contributions to the world. They show us that great things can happen on any day of the year. We should celebrate the history and achievements of May 16.

References:

1. “Abraham Lincoln.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009

www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/abraham-lincoln

2. “Joan of Arc.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 12 May 2020 www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc

3. “1st Academy Awards.” Oscars.org, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929

4. “Mikhail Botvinnik.” World Chess Hall of Fame

www.worldchesshof.org/hof-inductee/mikhail-botvinnik

5. “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.” IMDb, IMDb.com

www.imdb.com/title/tt0121765/

6. “The Big Bang Theory.” IMDb, IMDb.com

www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/

7. “William H. Seward.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Apr. 2020 www.britannica.com/biography/William-Henry-Seward